Vehicle-brake



E. W. PRITGHBTT.

Vehicle-Brake.

No. 227,296. Pate d lvlfay 4,1880.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieE.

ENOUH W. PRITOHETT, OF CATARACT, INDIANA.

VEHICLES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,296, datedMay 4, 1880,

Application filed December 4,1875).

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ENocH W. PRITCHETT, ofCataract, in the county of Owen and State of' Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Wagon or 4Vehicle Brakes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters of' reference markedthereon, which form a part of' this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wagon-brakes for whichLetters Patent of the United States were granted to me bearing date the4th day of' November, 1879, and numbered 221,252.

The present invention has for its object to provide a means foradjusting the brake-levers so as to adapt the same to wheels ofdifferent diameters; also, to provide a means for automaticallyreleasing the brake-levers after they have been applied to the wheels,and to hold said levers in a normal position and prevent any rattling ofthe same.

rIhe invention further has for its object 'ro prevent the back-strapconnected with the brake-levers from being affected by the tugstrap whensaid strap is subjected to a pulling strain, and also to prevent thelevers from springing when applied to the brakes, all as more fullyhereinafter specified.

To this end my invention consists in the combination, with thebrake-levers, of mechanism whereby said levers may be adjusted to adaptthe brakes to wheels of' different diameters.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the brakelevers, of certain springs whereby said levers are automaticallyoperated to release the brakes and held in normal position against acushion, of' rubber or other similar material, to prevent noise orrattling; also, in the combination, with the tug-strap, of' a strapsecured to the thills, through which the tug-strap is passed, and bymeans of which it is held away from the backstrap before mentioned; and,finally, in the combination of a guide with the brake-levers for holdingsaid levers and preventing theln from springing` when the brakes areapplied, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of' a wagon or othervehicle brake embodying the improvements in my invention. Fig. 2 shows abottom view of a portion of' my improved brake 5 .and Fig. 3, a sideelevation, showing my improvements.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates the thills of a wagonor other vehicle, and B the brake-levers, adj ustably fulcrumed inbearings C C, secured to the thills either on the inside or outside ofthe same, as may prove most convenient. These bearings are formed byanges on a metallic fratrie, which is preferably constructed of' castmetal in one piece, but which may be formed of' wrought metal in one ormore pieces, and the parts secured together in Aany convenient manner.The brake-levers set in slots d d in said frames, and the flanges areprovided each with a series of apertures, through which the fulcruinpinse e of the brake-levers may be passed to adjust said levers and adaptthe brakes to wheels of' different diameters.

The letters D D indicate cushions, of rubber or other equivalentmaterial,'one being attached to the lever and the other secured in therear end of the slots, for the purpose of' preventing any rattling of'said levers and the noise consequent upon such rattling. rI he cushionD/ may be formed with a V-shaped or other recess at its front edge, inwhich the leverv may set when in a normal position, in order that it maybe better held in place 5 but such construction is not absolutelynecessary to effect the purposes of this part of my invention.

The outer ends ofthe levers B B are provided with br'ake-shoes, which,when said levers are operated, come in contact with the tires ofthefront wheels of the vehicle, and are released by mechanism hereinafterexplained.

The letter E designates the breech-strap passing around and in contactwith the rump of the animal. rI he said breech-strap is connected ateach end to a back tug-strap, F, which passes forward over a sheave, Gr,mounted in bearings on the upper side of the thills, and back to theplain ends of the levers B B on the outside of the thills.

The letters H H indicate spiral or other springs secured to therespective levers and to the thills in such manner as to hold saidlevers in a normal position against the cushions D and prevent rattling,the said springs also serving to return the brake-levers to a normalposition and release the brakes automatically after they have beenapplied.

The letter I indicates a crank-shaft placed lback ofthe cross-bar K ofthe thills, having a hook, lr, at each end adapted to engage with andretain the plain ends of the levers B B, or to release them at pleasure.

The letter L indicates a strap secured to each thill ot' the vehicle,through which the tug-straps M are passed, and. by which said tug-strapsare held away from the back tugstraps, I1, so as not to interfere withthe same.

The letter N indicates-a guide secured to theA cross-bar K ofthe thills,and bearing against the brake-le\f'ers at the point of intersectionofthe same, and serving to prevent said levers from springing when thebrakes are applied. ln order to deaden the sound consequent upon themovement of said brake-levers a buffer, of rubber or other suitablematerial, may be applied between said guide and the levers; but this isnot essential to the practical operation of my invention.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connectionwith the above description.

Vhen the hooks k 7c are not engaged with the levers B B the backwardmotion of the animal or the forward motion of the vehicle exerted uponthe breechstrap of the animal will cause the brake-shoes at the ends ofthe levers B B to come in contact with the front wheels and brake themwhen making a dey l Patent, is-

l. In combination with the thills A of a 4wagon or other vehicle, thebrake-levers B,

strap F, the whole adapted to operate sub stantially as andfor thepurposes specied.

2. In combination with the brake-levers B B and mechanism for applyingthe brakes, the adjustable bearings@ C, the buffers located therein, andthe spiral springs H H, adapted to hold the brakes against the buffers,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In combination with the brake-levers, the guide attached to thecross-bar K of the vehicle, and bearing against said levers at theirintersection, to prevent the springing of said levers when the brakesare applied, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the tcregoing I have hereunto set my hand this4th day of December, 1879.

ENOGH W. PRI'IGHETT.

Witnesses:

GHAs. L. GooMBs, H. J. ENNIs.

